How to Obtain A Nice Collection Of Coupons!

“After deducting the coupons, we owe her $104″

WARNING: “Coupon Clipping is addicting and habit forming, and could cause lack of sleep!”

Welcome to my weekly column, “Frugal Living Series”

Week One

How to Obtain A Nice Collection Of Coupons!

Hello, My name is Deborah Sutherland, and I am addicted to coupons!!

Yes, that is correct, I am addicted to using coupons and saving thousands of dollars each year on food, household items and toiletries.

When I first started couponing I stared with a small envelope of coupons. Now I am up to a three- inch packed binder (Plus inserts).

How did I obtain this many coupons, you may ask? Simple – one coupon at a time!

Today, I would like to share with all of you how to obtain coupons from a wide range of resources available to everyone. It is not hard to obtain a nice stash of coupons, it is just knowing where to find them.

Sunday Inserts:

One of the most common places to start a coupon collection is from your local Sunday paper. Most Sunday papers have any where from one, four, sometimes even five coupon inserts in them.

I personally get 3 Sunday papers delivered to my home for $1 each. That’s only $3 for hundreds of $$ worth of coupons every week delivered to my door. Home delivery will save you money, and I suggest trying to get a better price on your paper by buying more than one copy.

Most Sunday papers have discontinued carrying the RedPlum inserts. If this is so with your Sunday paper, you can request that the RedPlum insert be mailed to your home by visiting RedPlum.com (also known as Valassis) and signing up for their mailing list. You do not want to overlook this insert, as it has many high-value coupons in it.

Buying the Sunday Paper definitely pays for itself and is worth every penny you spend. Most of the time just one coupon pays for the entire paper. *Reminder:* AC Moore and Michaels 40% -50% off coupons are in the Sunday paper, as well as occasional restaurant coupons that add savings to your Sunday paper.

The Internet

In the past two years, the internet has exploded with the availability of on-line printable coupons. There are so many sites that offer free printable coupons. Most printable coupons can be printed twice per computer, which means if you have more than one computer you can print more than two coupons.

The best sites to check several times a month, besides Frugal Living And Having Fun :), are the following sites. Though this list is not an exhaustive list, it will certainly keep you busy printing and will save you hundreds of dollars each month.

It is becoming very popular these days to find several great coupons in every day magazine such as Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Rachael Ray and the like. You will notice that every night around 10:00 I post one – three great magazines priced between $1.99 ~ $5.99/ Year. I highly suggest you subscribe to the magazines you enjoy at these low prices and thumb through them to find the coupons. This is the perma-link to the daily deals on magazines.

My Coupon DataBase

I have installed a Coupon Data Base this year on my website. It is free and very simple to use. All you do is search your product name and it will show you all the available printable coupons with their corresponding direct links, and/or coupons still active from current inserts.

Feel free to use My Coupon Data Base as often as you would like. It can be found under my menu bar under Coupons.

Friends and Family:
Another great place to get coupons would be your friends!! This is a wonderful resource you don’t want to overlook. Ask relatives, neighbors, and friends if they use their Sunday coupon inserts. If they don’t, ask them if you could be the recipient of them. I get a wonderful amount of coupons from my friends and family, who would otherwise, throw them out!!!
Exchange coupons with other avid couponers! “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure!”!

Companies:

Another great way to obtain very high-valued coupons is to call the companies that make the products you love. Most companies would be thrilled to hear positive feedback about the products they sell and are happy to send you several of their manufacturer’s coupons. I have scored a great deal of free items this way from companies like Kashi, Arnold Bread, Glade, and others.

Keep your eyes open at stores you shop at. In the past couple of years “Blinkies, the little black boxes that blink”, have gained popularity in every type of store. These coupons are usually very high in value, and are in front of the products that are featured on the coupon. This is a nice addition to anyone’s coupon collection.

Tear Pads – Pads of coupons in front of the items the coupon is promoting. Again, these are usually very high in value and can really help to maximize your savings.

I have trained all family members that shop with me to be on the lookout for Blinkies and Tear Pads.

Coupon Clipping Services

If you are one who likes to stockpile, you may even want to consider buying coupons from several of the well-known “Coupon Clipping Services”. I often buy about $3-$4 worth of coupons a week on items that are on sale that I want to stockpile. I have save hundreds of $$$ by doing this. Most coupons are around $0.08 ~ $0.20 depending on the face value of a coupon. I just bought 10 $2.25/1 Finish Electrasol Tablets for ONLY $0.20 each. So I spent only $2.00 to save $22.50 ~ That is a $20.50 savings.

Always watch for coupons on packaging. This can really add to your savings. More and more companies are placing coupons on their packages. I call these coupons, “peelies”. Sometimes it is for the item you are buying that day, and/or for a future purchase. My girls are all trained to watch for coupons on packaging.

If you know of any recycle dumpsters and/or bins in the general area where you live, I highly recommend you do not overlook this option for tons of FREE coupons. Remember, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure”. Right? NOW, I personally do not do this, as I do not know of any place to get them. However, I have tons of friends in other states that do this, and are very successful at gathering hundreds of dollars’ worth of coupons that others throw out. If I could, I would, trust me.

Catalinas / Register Coupons

These are the long coupons that come out of the registers at the time of checkout. They are called Catalinas because the machine that prints them out is called Catalina. Most of the time these are manufacturer coupons and can be combined with a store coupon. I have used these several times, and have saved a lot of money by doing so. So don’t forget to check those coupons when you checkout before throwing them away.

Frugal Living And Having Fun

Yes, that is right!! ;) I will post several great printable coupons each week, and often pair it up with a current or upcoming sale to use it with.

Remember: If you are looking for a particular coupon, please search My Coupon Database Here. It will give you every coupon that is current and available.

Most of all, be patient, and enjoy collecting your coupons. Coupons can be a very enjoyable way of saving your family thousands of dollars a year. Even if you consider yourself well off, why not tell your money where to go! ~ Deb

Answer to 1. I tried to use the binder system but I have a tough time keeping it up. so I just use a few enevolpe in my purse with suggestions from your site to take with me and then file the inserts in a file box. For the new year I am trying to stay on top of my coupon mess.

I currently collect my coupons via weekly paper inserts, internet printables, and trading. I am lucky enough that my sister works at a gas station so whatever is leftover on Sunday nights/Monday mornings, she brings home to me, If they are not enough, then I either look on ebay to order multiples or trade on the internet. I think that the article was great and really helps to address all the ways of couponing. I am currently trying to help my friends and family with getting started on saving money through coupons.

I get high value coupons from those rebates in the coupon flyers. Conagra and P&G are great about offering those several times a year. If they want you to spend $25 or $50 in products, that is BEFORE coupons, so I usually get them after spending very little out of pocket. Right now, I’m waiting on a P&G, a Conagra, and a Butterball.

It was great to learn anout your coupon data base. That will be helpful. It would be nice to learn what companies send coupons to smart phones. Target and hobby lobby do and I’ve heard that applebees does too.

I get coupons from my family and friends and also from the Red Plum mailing to my home. I have no idea how you get the Sunday paper in RI for $1 delivered to your home; unless you have a full week subscription, and then that would make sense!

2. What is the best way for you to obtain coupons that you need to maximize your savings?

Since mine is a single person household, by getting coupons from 9 different families each week, there are always sufficient coupons for me to use in conjunction with sales and to sell on eBay for a few extra bucks too!

1. I get inserts from the Sunday paper (I get two) and I also take advantage of coupon book offers such as P&G.

2. I gather them as stated above and have them divided into categories, put in labeled envelopes and use protector sheets in a 3-ring binder to put my envelopes in. I also have envelopes labeled “Target”, “Walmart”, and “Walgreens” so I can put my bargains together.

I use a file box with dividers and file by category, then alphabetically. I like the idea of your coupon data base, will definitely use this. I cannot use printed coupons at my Kroger, they don’t accept them, so have to use them at other places. My mother doesn’t use coupons so she saves them for me. I like to use coupons to get things that I can donate to charity. Many magazines have coupons that I collect from, First for Women has started putting a lot of coupons in their magazine.

1: I have a “coupon lady” that saves them from the 2 papers she gets and her mothers. She will hold them for a week or so when I want to travel to go pick them up. I also get them in the mail in the store flyers that come on tuesday or wednesday. I typically dont buy the paper unless i find out online that a good coupon is coming.
2. I typically dont use the stockpile method. If I have 4 coupons, I will use all 4 to get a good deal. But I dont use coupon services to get more. I dont think I have the room to stockpile.
3. I very much enjoyed your article! I love sharing how much I save with coupons, but there are many other people who go WAY above and beyond what I save. lol I think I would add an example of coupons and them being doubled to get an item free or near free. Also maybe links to major retailers coupon policies. Those can be very important when using coupons.

3. How did you enjoy the above article and what would you like to add to it?

Great article that shows MULTIPLE ways to gather additional coupons for any given household. You did not mention eBay, and that is also a great place to purchase coupons. NOTE: When buying on eBay, always make certain that you check out the seller’s satisfaction rating and READ the comments. If it says quickly shipped, nice assortment, exactly as described…you are good to go!

I use a coupon binder and have about 500 coupons. I just recently started this system, and while it took hours to organize I love it. Yes many people think I am a freak for having it (i’ve had many family members and strangers raise eyebrows, but hey I’m the one saving all the money!! Honestly aside from the inserts in newspapers I think sites like yours especially, are wonderful in giving us a heads up to when a high value coupon comes up. I like your article and think you did not miss any important points and boy is your quote ” WARNING: “Coupon Clipping is addicting and habit forming, and could cause lack of sleep!” true!! Well hey we all have our things and I think it is a million times better than an addiction that could inflict pain on oneself. THANKS!!!

I just subscribed to the local newspaper to get the Sunday inserts and am going to try out online coupons. One question – in the All You magazine, are the coupons only for Walmart or can they be used anywhere?
Thanks! Love you site and especially this article since I am just starting out!

I get my coupons from the Sunday inserts and from printing them. I also email different companies and ask for coupons or ask if they have a mailing list that theyy send coupons out to. Usually I get a great reply. Very rarely, as i only do this if it is legit, if there was a big problem with something I buy, I will email the company and let them know what happened and they will send coupons for a replacement item or more. I am looking forward to reading ALL of your articles. I am still new to couponing and need lots of advice. Still trying to figure outt how to organize my coupons!

As for right now I am a file folder to hold my coupons.. I always buy 3 newspapers, print from the net and on Wednesdays I go to my local post office and get the coupon inserts that are thrown into the garbage pail.(Lots of coupons go in there from all the P.O. Boxes)… Thanks for all the great savings and great work on your site…

I just started couponing this year. I’m getting coupons from the Sunday inserts, the internet and from samples. I’m so glad I haven’t trhown them out I have asked relatives to give their inserts to me.
This is a really helpful article. I will look into the other onlinse sources you listed. Thank you so much for all that you share!

1. When I get coupons, I keep them all together via a big envelope with what it is and the date it came out. (Ex: redplum 1/9) That way when a deal is posted that mentions that coupon I just take it out, clip and go.

2. I use a combination of ways on your list but the bulk of my coupons come from internet printables (redplum, coupons.com, smartsource.com, coupons2.smartsource.com etc.) and samples.

3. I thought the article was excellent and really informative. It helps new couponers and refreshes seasoned pros’ memories! A few other ways to collect is:
-Through facebook.com (I love when you tell us of companies or promotions with new fb pages that offer a coupon on an fb tab to their page!) A great example was yesterday’s milk coupon (thanks again!) And when you remind us of a new coupon that just came out.

-Ecoupons such as cellfire, shortcuts or upromise (I don’t, but millions do). Stores in Bronx, NY give me a hard time with printables as is so I keep it on paper.

-Contests and Instant Wins, some games you win, a lot you lose. What makes the losing worth it? A nice coupon! SOBE had a great game I played all summer long. I won a coupon every time (Everybody did!) and I shocked a long line at CVS when I bought 30 (by playing ever day) and they were all free. Some of them were “receive your free coupon by mail” and I received 6 of these coupons in the mail last week! One was expired and then sent me 2 more to replace it. I was so happy!

-Newsletters and Promotions, for example I signed up for some promotion at pampers a while ago and still receive small savings booklets with baby tips AND high value coupons for baby products. Some send me $5-10 checks for baby formula with my name printed!
So, when you sign up for samples, check “yes” to receive future info if it’s a company you purchase from anyway. You might be surprised at what they send you!

-Auctions, I saw this on ebay recently. They sell discounted gift cards, coupon codes and even printed coupons to retail stores (VS, GAP, Khol’s you name it). Some of these can help make a great deal even sweeter. I recommend you research codes first before I pay for them though. Many sites (like Frugal Living and Having Fun, do the work for you and already have them up and posted under “retail” or “store deals” tabs for FREE

I have a coupon book that has dividers in it to organize the coupons. Right before I go to the store I always make a list of what I am going to buy and then I go thru my coupons and take out all the ones I am going to use off my list. If I do not have a coupon for an item on my list I go online to coupons sites and also to your coupon database to find the ones I am in need of and 95% of time I find them!

1. What form of coupon collecting do you use?
I have two computers that I use to print internet coupons. I also get the Sunday inserts and All You magazine. I am always on the lookout for peelies and coupons.

I have a pocketbook/tote bag that is large enough to hold my file folders. I have about 12 categories where I keep the coupons I think I will use. I also have a folder for each store that I frequent. In that folder I keep the store coupon policy and I put the coupons i will need for the week. Also, I have a box where I keep the inserts, by date.

2. What is the best way for you to obtain coupons that you need to maximize your savings?
My daughter and her mother-in-law give me their inserts. I also have one paper delivered and 2 I obtain at the dollar tree.

3. How did you enjoy the above article and what would you like to add to it?

I think you nailed it on the head! I get 75% of my coupons from Sunday Papers I usually purchase 4 every Sunday and buy them @ Rite Aid w/20% discount(program from card). I purchase local and out of state papers. I also subsribe to alot of different magazines and just found out First magazine has alot of coupons too! I use a 3 ring binder but do not use the baseball card method I just file whole inserts and cut one set of each for me to carry instores in poly check folder. Thanks!

Great article. I use a mini file/accordion style but also go w/envelopes in my purse when I go shopping. I have vowed to get a binder this year to have a better view of what I have and be able to use them more. I receive the Sunday paper, also samples and send off for coupons. No printer so have to wait to add that to my arsenal of ways to save. I read through the sales before I go to decide what I need so I don’t buy more. Happy saving everyone!

I just started trying to get into couponing. I have used coupons on and off over the years if i happen to have one. But would really like to learn how to do it full time in order to save money. This was very helpful and I will be using your site quite ofter.
Thank you

I just use and envelope in my purse for collecting my coupons. I sort them by the layout of the store that I shop at, so as I’m going down each aisle I can just flip through them and get to the ones I want. My coupon use is sometimes just seasonal, as I get pretty busy with work for about 6-7 months out of the year and just don’t have the energy to put towards couponing (however I do plan to change that this year, as I need to save money all year and not just part of it). I did know about purchasing coupons from different sites, but I didn’t realize you had a coupon database on your site – thanks for sharing that info and offering that on your site! Looking forward to checking it out!

#2- I live in NH where there are many stores that double up to .99. This means that around here, we mostly get $1/4 and similar horrible coupon amounts..BUT, I try to trade with folks in Florida who don’t have any double couponing so their values tend to run under $1, like .75/1 which is GOLD for me!

Coupon trains are a great way to keep coupons moving around. Find yahoo coupon groups or coupon forums that host them and then you fill en envelope with coupons, send it to a friend who takes what they can use, fills it back up and then ships it off to another friend who does the same until it finally comes back to you! You never know what you are going to get, but it’s a great way to make some new coupon friends and to get access to coupons from other areas!

I get my coupons from the Sunday paper (I buy 1 or 2 depending on what is in that weeks’s paper, and I also get inserts from family and friends). I also get coupons from the internet and All You magazine. I organize them in two binders. One small binder holds my clipped and cut coupons, the other holds whole inserts. I enjoyed your article…thanks for all you do!!

I use the coupon binder as well but before I got to the store I get all of the coupons that I know I will be using for that trip and put them in an envelope. I DO take my binder just in case I find a crazy AWESOME deal. This keeps me organized and not make ne go insane like I used to trying to find the coupons in the binder when I’m in the stores. =)

I get the Sunday paper and I print out online coupons. Unfortunately some Sundays my paper doesn’t include the insert that was supposed to be there. Also sometimes my supermarket won’t accept certain coupons. I then complain to the company.

I have met up with the people who stand on the corner on Sunday mornings and when they are done for the day they give me a call. I purchase ALL of their leftover newspapers for .25 cents each. The paper normally has at least 2 inserts sometimes 5. The most that I have bought at one time is 40 papers but that was $10 and it was great because that was the one with the $2.25 off finish coupon in it. I carry a 3 inch binder with me when I go shopping and it is sectioned off dry/frozen/medicine etc.
About the papers…the people selling them wont make any money off of them if they dont sell them ask most of the time they are more than willing to give you a call at the end of the day

1. I have two methods of organizing my coupons. When I get my papers I first go through them and decide what I will need straight away. I then decide if there are other coupons that my be of some use to me at a later date. I then sort the clipped ones into a binder and the rest are put into a file box with 4 sections. Red Plum, Smart Source, P&G, and General Mills. In between the four sections I have the dates of the inserts. This makes going through my coupons so much easier. If I am looking for a coupon from the 01/09/11 RP I will go to the RP section and look for the 01/09/11 date!

2. When I go to the store and purchase my papers I will go through them to ensure, first, that the paper actually has the coupons in it and second, that the coupons are worth making the paper purchase. I used to buy up to 10 papers at a time but I soon realized that I can turn to coupon clippers and use the same money to purchase the exact coupons I need. I used to stockpile everything that came out cheap or free but over the summer I was diagnosed with a severe allergy to dust. Because of that allergy I am not able to have too many things out around the house. Now, instead of purchasing 10, 20 or 30 of something I may stick to 5 or 6. My prayers frequently include the Lord blessing us with the ability to purchase a new home which includes a garage so that I am able to start stockpiling again. LOL! Is that bad??? LOL!

3. I really enjoyed the above article. Its a great checklist for someone to go by while just starting out but it also helps those of us who just need a little reminder to turn the box over and make sure there is not any money attached! That is how I look at coupons, as money!

I buy 6 sunday papers and my friend who works in a nursing home gives me some of the extras from the residents.
I also print alot of store coupons so I can use both to maximize my savings.
I enjoyed your article alot it was helpful even though I already knew most of it.

I organize my coupons in a number of small photo books which I store in a tote with a handle on it (for ease in carrying it). Each photo book is labeled as to what is in it.
My biggest problem is simply keeping my coupons cut, filed and figuring out how to keep myextra coupons organized so I can find what I want when I need it.
I get my coupons from the newspaper mostly (have a friend that saves me any extras she gets), a coupon group that gets together as often as possible (usually weekly) and we trade coupons among ourselves plus we discuss any deals we have found and I also print any good ones I find on the internet.
One other source others might be interested in would be coupon trains.

i use the shelf system. I mark the shelf (like a little cheapie at wally maybe i will take a pic for you) with the date of the insert, That way if i need a coupon i can just go to the date and grab the red plum etc. I do cut 1 of each weekly insert into a binder alphabetically just in case i see a deal i wanna grab right away. I will resort to clipping service and even fleabay if it is an item that is going to be a MM or something we use frequently and i can’t get them for my family.

a few comments:: Tearpads:: when you are getting gas run into the mart. I know its a gas station but some of the best coupons are found in there. I.E Gatorade, Powerade, Vitamin Water.

If you can get friendly with a manager getting the ad a week before the sale is always nice.

Dumpster Diving: Be careful call the towns waste management and find out if this is okay to do. The recycling in my town is the towns property. They will not let you dumpster dive and can fine you for it so make sure you ask.

Friends neighbors coworkers ask for the inserts the worst they can say is no!

I also email one company a week. Sometimes this gets you on a list. I can tell you turkey hill after 1 email i got a calender full of coupons and than the week before 2011 i got a new calender full of coupons (turkey hill may be regional i think its just northeast but i didn’t have to contact them).

Im a single mom of 4 who is new at clipping coupons. I just started last Sunday with the insert from the paper. I feel a bit discouraged though, as I spent more from the coupons that I would have if I bought off brands.
With that being said, I learn by making mistakes..so Im looking foward to the practice and apprecitate all the help from your post!

i dont live in an area with a good paper so i go out every sunday at 6 am just to get the raleigh paper from the box. i get 3 copies. and sometimes i get the local paper also just to see whats in it. i also print a lot of coupons and i get the all you magazine and weight watchers magazine.

for filing my coupons, i use a ‘medicine bag’ with dividers in it. looks like a purse, has pockets for a pen and my cards. have dividers to separate coupons and a pocket on the outside to put the ones in that i’m using on that shopping trip.

I don’t have a system for keeping my coupons organized, so this was an excellent article for me! When I go to the store, I look to see if I have any coupons from my mom’s Sunday paper or if I can find them online for the things I need. I’m sure people look at me like I’m crazy when I go into the store and put my stack of coupons in the seat of the cart and make my kids walk.

I loved this article. It hit on many key points that I was already familiar with, and a few new ones! I had no idea you could request Red Plum inserts to be mailed to you! So very awesome.
I will be sharing this article with all my friends who have been asking me “how do you do it?!” You have put it far better than I ever could.. and provided some really good info that (like I said) I didn’t know about.

I buy 2 Sunday papers, print off the Internet, use from magazines, blinkies and tear pads and get coupons from family. I’ve also been lucky at getting coupons by contacting companies. You are right, it IS assisting.

Thank you for the article. I am not new to couponing but still learning. So any time I have a chance to learn more I know this will help lower my food bill. I look forward to your new weekly column, and will make sure family and friends are seeing it also.

I would like to ask about having Red Plum mailed to me. Do you mean by snail mail? I have had no luck in printing my coupons at home. This has been my biggest problem. If and when I can get this worked out I will be on my way. So if I could have these snail mailed it would be great. I checked out their site but did not see where I could signup for this. Did I over look it?

hi – my office has decided we do a “best place to work”, each person picks a month, and we alternate monthly – a social activity then a charity. I decided I would do an on going charity. So I asked anyone that does not use their inserts, to please bring them to the office. I will then use them to get free food. The free food will go to a charity. I just started this week, and people are amazed that I can get free food. So this week so far I got 12 boxes of special K and 12 packs of Stayfree pads with some other people’s computer help. I plan to get as much freebies for charity I can – and the leftovers will go to me Best part – the bosses loved the idea and praised my “leadership” :-0
I also print a lot from the internet, use All You, use your website! I subscribe to many people’s facebooks, like yours, Maven of Savin etc. I get some great deals with all you help!!! I am still not as good as you all, but I am building my stock pile and am trying to be creative!
Thanks for all your hardwork! It pays off for so many people – I am trying to spread the wealth.

I gather my coupons from my Sunday paper. I also have family and friends who save me their coupon inserts. My local library has a coupon bin that I check out twice a month. Grocery Stores are another great way to collect coupons. I look for several tear pads and blinkie machines. Occasionally I’ll even find coupons on products that I purchase.
I’m also a member of the store’s rewards card and any additional clubs that may apply etc. Baby Club.
I love using coupons and should I win the lottery tomorrow I will forever and always be a coupon queen.

1.The form of filing I use is hanging folders for my Sunday inserts. All filed by date and S.S., R.P., P&G etc. in different folders. I have a huge binder for all my online clipped coupons, and have a masterlist on the front of what is inside by category (dairy, grocery, meat etc.) I clip what I need before a shopping trip and put it all in an envelope to take in. I also bring my binder just in case, but I try to only buy what was on my list.
2. The way I obtain coupons is I subscribe to one paper for Sunday delivery, but have a deal worked out with my delivery person and she stuffs her extra coupon inserts in the one paper I get. So I end up with about 4/5 copies per Sunday. And for internet printables I save money by making sure I get my printer paper for cheap/free after rebate (Staples), and buy ink refill kits online cheap and refill my own cartridges on my printer. I paid $30 for a Lexmark refill kit (black and color) and have refilled my cartridges 4 times already. This makes it so I’m not paying much at all to print out all those coupons! 3. I enjoyed the article and am sure a lot of people will benefit in some way.

I’m a bit jealous that you can get just the Sunday paper delivered for $1! I checked into it, but it would cost almost $10 just for that one paper! So I stop at Walgreens every Sunday after church and pay $2 each for 2 papers, more if I know there’s a deal I’ll use it for right then. Otherwise I love the internet printable Q’s, and use MPerks (but often forget what I’ve clipped on there!). I have not used a coupon clipping service, but am open to it. If I lived near a CVS, I would probably use them since they seem to have such awesome deals! (Another thing I’m jealous about- lol!)
Thanks for the article. Keep up the great work!

I like the idea of getting newspaper inserts from friends and family members. We get a paper (although I may look into getting more), my in-laws give me their inserts, we get inserts from Grandpa, and sometimes, when she remembers my husband’s boss will give us hers! I also get lots of coupons online! However, many companies have gotten smart and no longer let you print 2 per computer, most that I use only let you do 2 per ID address!

I currently use the internet, and buy papers to collect my coupons. I love your blog and try to check it daily or at least every other day to cash in on the bargains. I hope to save twice as much this year as I did last year with coupons, I’ve only been doing it for about 8-9 months, and I am amazed at how much you can save with coupons. I never knew what a register reward was or that you got coupons worth money from stores. I hope to learn even more about saving money. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

I obtain my coupons from the Sunday papers, online, peelies and from samples delivered to me….. I have also started writing to a few companies – only when I have something really good to say or something not so good I have found lately that I am not always getting the coupons listed in the match-ups and think I might be in the “wrong” area so am tempted to try a coupon clipping service. I would also LOVE to find a recycle dumpster to find some but am new to the area and don’t know where they might be!!
I LOVE your posting and wish I had found something this detailed when I started couponing but even though I now know 90% of your info, I did learn a new thing today (red plum info) so THANKS so much for all your hard work

I mostly use coupons from the Sunday paper, but I also print some of the coupons from your “match up” posts. I ordered some clipped coupons for the first time yesterday and only spent $4. I am fairly new at this, but really enjoy saving all this money.
I am collecting so many coupons, the Coupon Clutch is really looking nice Please let me know if there is any promotions or coupon codes for the Coupon Clutch, as I may be looking into getting one soon
Thanks again for all your hard work…. this site really helps all of us save money.

I buy 2 papers every sunday, print out coupons from coupons.com & redplum.com every few days, and clip all the coupons from the magazines I receive (mostly free subscriptions) I also know that my Publix takes ALL competitor coupons, so I print all the coupons from Target.com, dollar general, and Food Lion. I also regularly ask for coupons at Publix, as they do not keep all of the coupon books out in plain sight. This way, I make sure I can match up store coupons with manufacturer coupons on items that are BOGO.
I keep everything in a folder. Then I go to Publix on the first day of each new sale to get the sale flyer (I find it easier to look at than the online flyer). Then I go home, circle and write down everything I want/need and then sort coupons. If I don’t have a coupon for something that is on sale and I know coupons are out there for…I go searching for them on the internet. I’ve only been using coupons for about 6 months, but I’m doing pretty well and saving about $250 per month now. Plus…it’s fun!

I use the binder system to collect and organize my coupons. It saves me so much time rather than looking through an envelope or accordian file. I have too many q’s for those anyway!

I obtain my q’s in a few different ways. I buy the Sunday papers, I have recently bought some on ebay, I ask family and friends to keep their unwanted inserts for me, and I belong to a couponing group who gets together and swaps q’s.

I print A TON of internet coupons and I receive 2 different Sunday papers (my local paper doesn’t always have the best coupons so I also get one from a larger metro area) and if I really like the coupons in it, I’ll buy additional copies. I also get inserts from family members & friends, though not nearly as often now as I’ve been trying to get all of them into couponing too! I have a huge, zippered 3-ring binder that I keep all of my coupons cut & sorted in, with roughly 20 different categories. I have envelopes that I use for shopping trips & plan my purchases ahead of time using flyers, this website, and other emails I’ve seen relating to great bargains & match ups.
I think this article was great tips for someone getting started, and it’s always nice to see that I’m not “missing” any sites when it comes to coupon-gathering!

I am trying to go to the binder method of coupon organization. I have been back to couponing after being “off” for several years. I love the idea of a deal, but I don’t want to live around stockpiles. I use the coupons that I will need for the next month or so, but many of the coupons are on a month cycle anyway. I didn’t know about the coupon database, but I will definitely be checking that out. I haven’t used a clipping service either, but that would be worth checking out as well.

I do go through our local recycling bin for coupons as well as ‘boxtops’ to give my nephew/niece.
I am lucky enough to have a mother that works for a bank. They receive 4 Sunday papers weekly, though they are not open on Sundays! She collects the coupon inserts for me.

You just inspired me to start getting the paper again…..do you know of a way to just have the Sunday paper delivered? Most papers require you subscribe to at least a Fri, Sat, Sun delivery schedule. I just feel bad because I don’t ever get time to read the paper and it just goes directly into the recycle bin.

Thanks Deb..this was such a valuable article…….going to “share” it on FB

I use all of your methods above to collect coupons. I probably used clipping services 3 times in 2010, but will have to rely on them more for whole inserts, as our paper isn’t carrying inserts anymore.

I maximize coupons I need by first “polling the couponers” (my friends), and then going through a clipping service. My friends and I are great about sharing coupons we don’t need if one of us can use them.

The only thing I would ad to the article is that I have tried signing up for the Red Plum inserts to be mailed to me over 3 times! I’ve been couponing over a year and have yet to receive one of these. So I caution readers not to get their hopes up.

1. What form of coupon collecting do you use?
A little of everything, friends, newspaper, recycle bin at the dump…

2. What is the best way for you to obtain coupons that you need to maximize your savings?
Recycle center at the dump!

3. How did you enjoy the above article and what would you like to add to it?
Loved the article. I would at freecycle to it, great for whole inserts or even specific items like baby care or pet food coupons that many people would never use even if they save coupons.

Thanks for the tips… most helpful!! I currently obtain my coupons from the Sunday paper and various internet sites. I also request a lot a free samples and obtain coupons there as well. I have acquired many coupons to date and I’m working on getting them organized into a binder. I haven’t used a clipping service yet but I think I’ll check into that. I am still new to this and have a lot to learn. I do find it kind of frustrating sometimes when something is on sale (ex. Walgreens toothpaste for $0.99) and I have a $1.00 off coupon and every Walgreens I go to the item is already gone. I guess I need to jump on those sales items faster. I think once I get organized I’ll be a lot more efficient with that. Otherwise, I’m enjoying “couponing” and a lot of my friends are curious as to how I’m saving so much money and asking lots of questions. I refer them to your blog!! Thanks again and keep up the good work!!

I live in a rural area with ONE local grocery store. However, I make one monthly trip to Big Town to do major grocery shopping. Our small store often has tear pad coupons, but the prices are still too high. So I tear a few off and then take them with me to the store in Big Town and get a better deal!

#1 – I only over the past several months have begun actively couponing, I use the Sunday inserts and online printing as my primary forms of coupon collecting. I’m a fan of several couponing/savings/freebies Facebook pages, and always keep my eyes open for coupons they’re giving a heads-up to. I picked-up an idea from one of those pages for putting together a coupon organization notebook with a 3-ring binder and card collector plastic page inserts, so I’m working on putting that together to organize my coupons.

#2 – The best sources for me to obtain coupons are: buying the Sunday paper at WalMart where it’s only $1 as opposed to $1.50 everywhere else, asking for newspaper inserts from friends when there are coupons I want multiples of, and printing online. I also just yesterday subscribed to the All You magazine, after hearing hard-core couponers rave about the high-value coupons found in it each month, so I’m anticipating that being a great source for me as well!

#3 – I really enjoyed the article. I’m recent to your site, so didn’t know that you had “My Coupon Database”…what a great service! I don’t have any ideas to add, but sure appreciate all the ideas you shared!

The majority of my coupons come from the newspaper and the internet. Printing them is the best way for me. This article was full of great information about couponing, especially about the clipping services. I am interested in learning more about them.

Thank you for all the information. As a fairly new couponer it is invaluable. I started couponing after both my husband and I got laid off out of necessity, now I’m never going back!
What has worked for me being new to this (been doing this less than 6mo) is buying 2 papers always the double paper as it cost’s a dollar less than two single papers and then clipping every coupon that if I ask myself if you could get it for free would you use it question. I check your blog of course for deals, match-ups, and freebies. I also organize my coupons in a accordion like binder. I have the coupons organized by category’s such as household, frozen foods etc…
So far my savings has been several hundred a month and I always shopped the sales before. Ex. I would shop the Publix BOGO sales and save 50% off my grocery bill but by adding coupons to those sale items I now save 70-80%! That is huge for our family!

I use the binder method. I colledt from Sunday papers, magazines, and printables. I sometimes receive extras from family members. I ususally buy 3 to 4 papers. I thought the article was great! I would only add that if you are just starting out, don’t try to do as good as someone who has been couponing for 6 months. Start out expecting to save money and not exactly replicate what you see someone else doing. I started out with too high of expectations and disapointed myself and wanted to quit because I didn’t have the same outcome as the website creator. But, I kept on going and although I am still learning. I am saving more and more every week.

We use coupons from paper, inserts in mail and online coupons. PLus those that I get for various sites I joined that have campaigns that share coupons.

I cut out all that I think I will use (i don’t buy things I don’t use even if they are free) and put them in baseball card holders in a binder. That way I have all coupons with me in case I see a clearance sale while out shopping.

Thanks for this great article! I am still new to this world of coupons but I can see how it can become addictive! I try to get a Sunday paper but some weeks my schedule does not make it possible. I print internet coupons like crazy!

A few months ago I wanted to try the Cat at Shaws. I head it was coming though your blog so I went to Ebay and bought multiple coupons of the products I needed! I still make a few mistakes along the way…Shaws will only double six of the same coupons in one transaction and I had more…but I still was able to save a ton of money!

I also used coupons to fill my family’s Christmas Stockings! I just started buying things that were free or nearly free in October and put it away for Christmas…I was shocked by the amount of stuff I had! I almost freaked out when I opened my stocking from my husband because I know he paid full price for everything!!

Mostly I try to remind myself that saving anything is better than nothing and to not buy things I don’t need just because I have a coupon : )

i forgot to mention that you should talk more about E-coupons. They may not add to your physical stash of coupons but most stores are using them now. The only 3 grocery store chains we have here all have their own e-coupons. Its a great way to add to your bottom line savings if you can keep track of them.

*I buy a sunday paper or 2 sometimes, i have my dad bring me his coupons, i share coupons with my sister, & i print them from couponmom.com
I really want to invest in a binder of some sort of organization, as mine end up in misc bags in one big red bag, so i still have to search for them, not cutting down on time, at all

2. What is the best way for you to obtain coupons that you need to maximize your savings?

i look thru fb & FL&HF for the best deals and i proceed from there, more often than not ia m still just looking, cant/dont score on many good deals (that i do in fact need) but time will bring that

3. How did you enjoy the above article and what would you like to add to it?

Yes, i need all the knowledge from the ‘professionals’ as i can get, thank you very much for the INFO & the Chance to win & Learn

I have been a stay at home mom for over 4 years and to bring in extra income my husband started delivering the newspaper. I didn’t know about this big “coupon world” until last spring and in just a few months I was able to get a ridiculous amount of free stuff. My husband was able to bring me up to 50 inserts each Sunday!!! It was got a little overwhelming so I gave up in the summer but I just started up again this week. I am starting slow with just 10 inserts a week but hopefully I will be better organized and I will start my huge stockpile up again. I was able to give so many things away to my family, friends, local charities, and even send some to the troops. It felt great!! My big problem is organizing the coupons. Once I have that down it would be so much easier.

I use the binder system and love it! It really works for me. On the other hand, I am not going into a dumpster for anything even coupons. If they are on top, I will grab them but I am not climbing in. Nope, not me.

#3. I have friends that work Monday mornings in a grocery store. They get the coupons from unsold papers and give to me! I get them $5 gift cards from time to time and especially at the holidays since they are doing such a big favor for me. And using Swagbucks makes getting the gift cards I give to the free so it’s a win win!

I get a couple of Sunday papers at the dollar store and recently I joined a couple of coupon forum and have been participating in coupon trains and buying some potluck envies at auction on there. A great way to increase my binder.

1. What form of coupon collecting do you use?
I used to buy multiple copies of the Sunday paper, but our paper has almost completely stopped including coupons. So, I’ve enlisted the help of my mother. She collects her coupons, along with those of some her friends, and mails them to me. In return, I get “great deals” on the stuff she uses, and everybody is happy!

2. What is the best way for you to obtain coupons that you need to maximize your savings?
I use multiple clipping services and have no problem paying for coupons. I see them as an investment in my savings. With almost every investment, you have to put something in, to get something out. It may be time, it may be money…for me, I prefer to pay somebody else to find and clip the coupons I need.

3. How did you enjoy the above article and what would you like to add to it?
I always enjoy reading articles from like-minded savers! This article is especially good for the “newbie” who is just starting out.

I have 3 family members that hold coupons for me, they recieve the Sunday paper and I donot. I also have a group of friends from my kids school and we swap coupons. I follow blogs that tell me what coupon to get where and I sometimes also use a coupon clipping site. I use the binder method and my sister gave me a bag with my name on it that has all my coupons and slaes flyers in it. My husband now loves my bag!

I have only ben couponing for about 6 months but I have changed my life and that of my friends. Alot of my kids Christmas was free samples and free items from coupons. Some gifts that were given to family were free items also. I was so proud of that!

I did recieve a “goody Bag” from a cousin who coupons….it contained toothpaste, women deodarant, Nivea bodywash, tissues and lotion. She and I just looked at each other and winked. I told her it was the best present i had recieved because I knew what she had been doing to get that together for 8 people.

1. What form of coupon collecting do you use?
Sunday paper, internet, companies, blinkies…pretty much all that you mentioned except dumpster diving and using a clipping service.
2. What is the best way for you to obtain coupons that you need to maximize your savings?
Liking companies on facebook and trading with friends.
3. How did you enjoy the above article and what would you like to add to it? I enjoyed it and will be sharing with my friends who are always asking about my couponing and where to get coupons.

I obtain coupons through print and online websites, as well as text alerts on my iPhone. I would suggest adding information about applications that offer deals on smartphones. That seems to be a growing phenomenon these days. Never thought about coupon clipping service – thanks for the tip on that!

1. What form of coupon collecting do you use?
Newspapers, printable coupons, coupons in the mail
2. What is the best way for you to obtain coupons that you need to maximize your savings?
I use the savings website for my local area who puts together all the good deals for my local store. I then just go back and clip only the coupons i need for the week.

3. How did you enjoy the above article and what would you like to add to it?

The article above is actually very informative and helpful and I look forward to more. I don’t think there is anything else I would add to your article. Thank you soooo much!

I use a standard coupon keeper with divider tabs, but may have to upgrade to the binder system. My parents save their Sunday paper inserts since we don’t subscribe to a Sunday edition and I am on the e-mailing list for a number of “couponing” sites where I download coupons. I do try to only clip coupons for things I know I will want to buy and for brand name items that I simply prefer over the store brand stuff, such as Tide, Yoplait, etc. For my usual grocery store, I get a couple of e mails each week featuring specials on items I routinely buy there and when I couple that with coupons, it does generally pay off. This store does super double coupons and sometimes triple coupons and with some work and diligence I can save a lot. We are fortunate though that we have our own beef cattle and can have it processed inexpensively, taking a huge burden off my budget. My son often shows a 4-H market hog at a local show and we have it processed also. Besides the savings in money, I am happy to know exactly what the animals I am eating have been fed!

I have a ? for you…
Do you keep track of your accumulated coupon savings for a given month or year?
if yes, do you count the savings as being the face value of the coupon or the savings off the sale (or regular price?) to get your total

I use the magazines, websites, as well as Mad Coupons to get my coupons. I also have my binder ( I would be lost without it lol). We are a family of 3 and move alot due to my husbands job, so I would never use use all the inserts I get each week. I send all my extras to friends who want to start using coupons.

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